Cookaholics Bulletin Board

My accomplishments as far as canning are pretty limited -- basically my repertoire is salsa, marinara sauce, bread & butter pickles, and chicken stock. (I tried dill pickles and they were a major flop.) So this year when some family visited an apple orchard, I put in my order for as many as they could carry so I could try my hand at apple butter. But I didn't want to stir a pot for hours so found a slow cooker recipe online. And was it ever super easy and delicious.

First of all, despite the fact that I'm a gadget freak, I'd never bought one of the suction-type apple corer/slicer/peeler crank thingees. I'd seen it in the KAF catalog for ages but it just seemed like too much of a one-trick tool, even for me. But when W-S had a sale and I could get it for $23, I figured I'd give it a whirl and take it back if I didn't like it. All I can say is whoa! That thing is flat-out amazing. My daughter peeled, cored, and sliced about 20 pounds of apples in amazing time.

The other thing I did was cook it longer than the recipe called for, and one trick I read online was to use long skewers to slightly lift the lid off the slow cooker, so it would thicken. Sure enough, after the initial cooking and puree with a stick blender, I did that and in a few hours it was the perfect consistency.

I was planning on giving some as Christmas gifts but I'm thinking hoarding it is a better option.

Emilie

What recipe did you use? I went with the one from Brown Eyed Baker and didn't can it as I didn't have the 2 piece lids and the stores were closed; the jars are in my fridge but going in the freezer to play it safe.
I made mine with all cortlands and wish I'd known about the trick with the skewers. I wound up cooking it on high with the lid off for just over an hour to thicken it up after pureeing.

How do you like your recipe, Jean? It looks like the difference between the two is just brown sugar in addition to the white plus vanilla in the Brown Eyed Baker one. The one I used calls for a four qt. slow cooker but I did it in my 6 and just filled it to the brim. I'm not exactly sure what the apples were but I'm guessing Gala and Fuji, along with a few Granny Smiths that needed to be used. Truthfully, the coolest part of it all (besides the yummy end product) was that peeler. The novelty factor was huge and it actually worked!

Emilie

http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-apple-butter-143307

This looks yummy. I made mango bourbon butter for Christmas gifts this year, but I might make some apple butter for myself! I bet I could do a micro batch in my 1.5 quart crockpot.

Thanks for sharing,

--Lisa

I really liked the one I made although I did forget to add the vanilla. I've gifted one jar already and had good feedback. I think apple butter is one of those things that it's hard to make a bad one of as long as the sweetness is balanced.
Mango butter....that sounds yummy too.

Empire apples are on sale at my local store for $1/kg bag (2.2 lbs). So I'm going to make another batch since so far I've almost used it all. I've gifted 3 jars, brought some to work for a bagel breakfast, put some in prepared bbq sauce for ribs, and lastly spread a brie all over the top with it then wrapped it in puff pastry and baked. Delish. Now I need more.

I had one of those that I bought for $2 at a yard sale and goodwilled this past summer since I'd never used it. Well, I totally could have used it now. when coring the apples yesterday I went *right* through the side and down into my thumb. Should have gone in for a stitch or 2 but I didn't want to be at the hospital all night. Still sore today.
On a positive note I have 11 jars (250 ml each) of apple butter. And about 10 more pounds of apples to make another batch. I'm waiting till I can borrow my mom's corer/peeler.

All I can say is Yummm!

I made some of this using the brown-eyed baker recipe last week. I needed some un-spiced apple butter for CC's slow-cooker French onion soup, a winter-time staple around here. After filling a pint jar with simple apple butter, I spiced the rest with fresh ginger and a little Ceylon cinnamon. It's a little different than what one might expect from apple butter, but the fresh ginger really makes for an interesting and delicious product.

Ouch!! I'm so sorry to hear that Jean. I always cut myself a few times after I sharpen my knives, but never bad enough for a stitch (except once, years ago). And it drives me crazy whenever I get rid of something that I never use and then of course need it after that. Take care.

Emilie